ANSWER sets out solution to 10-year, 4-trillion-$ carnage

“Only the people can stop the war”

 Editing by Carolyn Bennett

October 2011 marks year 10 of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and the beginning of the 2012 U.S. federal austerity budget.

It is time to light the spark that sets off a true democratic, nonviolent transition to a world in which people are freed to create just and sustainable solutions.

We are the ones who can create a new and just world. Our issues are connected. We are connected.  [“Stop the Machine! Create a New World! Call to Action October 6, 2011 and onward, http://october2011.org/statement]

In the coming months, ANSWER organizers and volunteers will be working to build October demonstrations to occur across the United States.

OCTOBER 7 San Francisco

The ANSWER Coalition calls for protest and die-in October 7 in San Francisco. This protest event kicks off at the Federal Building (7th and Mission streets). Interests in endorsements and getting involved should link to www.ANSWERSF.org or call 415-821-6545.

OCTOBER 6 District of Columbia

‘Stop the Machine’ coalition (with ANSWER participating in Washington, D.C.) is organizing a series of actions beginning October 6 at Freedom Plaza. Link to info@answercoalition.org or call 202-265-1948; Website: http://October2011.org

“At a time when health, education and other vital government programs are being slashed or eliminated altogether,” ANSWER points out, “the war in Afghanistan devours $330 million per day. A recent study estimates that the total cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will exceed $4 trillion—$4,000,000,000,000.”

“The only way to end the bloody and rising carnage in Afghanistan is to immediately withdraw all U.S. and NATO troops and aircraft.

REVIEW

Saturday the sixth of August, 30 U.S. special operations and Navy Seals troops and 8 Afghan troops died when their helicopter came under defensive attacks in Wardak province in eastern Afghanistan.

This incident represents the highest death toll in a single day for U.S. troops since the war began October 7, 2001. Since the start of this month, at least 41 U.S. troops have died in battle.

The new U.S. Secretary of Defense’s foolish mantra is, “‘We will stay the course to complete that mission, for which they and all who have served and lost their lives in Afghanistan have made the ultimate sacrifice.'”

The ANSWER Coalition replies that, as Secretary Leon Panetta lives in luxury thousands of miles from the front lines of an increasingly brutal and seemingly endless war, it is easy for him to spout that ridiculous “stay-the-course” Vietnam mantra.

The same day that helicopter went down, U.S. troops attacked a residence in Helmand province, upping the record-high civilian death toll. In this attack, eight Afghan civilians including women and children died.

On Friday, the day before the helicopter incident, four people had died while protesting another attack by U.S. forces in which three civilians had died.

The United Nations has reported 1,462 civilian deaths in the first half of 2011 — 15 percent more than in the corresponding period in 2010.

Tens of thousands of Afghans have died since the start of this war.

More than 2,600 U.S. and other NATO troops have died and more than 12,000 have suffered wounds. Many of these people have sustained dramatically life-altering, catastrophic brain trauma or amputations.

The past few weeks have also seen many top Afghan officials assassinated. Among them were the mayor and police chief of Kandahar and the brother of U.S.-installed Afghan president Hamid Karzai.

There is only one solution to Afghanistan War: Withdraw immediately all U.S. and NATO troops and aircraft.

“Only the people can stop the war”

“We are the ones who can create a new and just world. 

Our issues are connected. 

We are connected.” 

Sources and notes

“Afghan and U.S. casualties have risen dramatically — there’s only one solution to Afghanistan War,” August 8, 2011, http://www.answercoalition.org/national/news/theres-only-one-solution-to-afghanistan-war.html; http://www.answercoalition.org/national/index.html

“Bring the troops home now!” October demonstrations against the war in Afghanistan

(Washington, District of Columbia October 6, 2011)

Protest and Die-In on 10th Anniversary of Afghanistan War

(San Francisco, California October 7, 2011”

“Join us in DC to say: “‘Bring the troops home now!’” October 6, 2011 

Freedom Plaza, Washington, District of Columbia 

info@answercoalition.org or 202-265-1948 

Website: http://October2011.org

http://www.answercoalition.org/national/events/join-us-in-dc-to-say-bring.html

“We Stand With the Majority of Americans: Human Needs, Not Corporate Greed”

 

A large majority of the American people consistently support the following agenda:

·       Tax the rich and corporations ·       End the wars, bring the troops home, cut military spending ·       Protect the social safety net, strengthen Social Security and improved Medicare for all ·       End corporate welfare for oil companies and other big business interests ·       Transition to a clean energy economy, reverse environmental degradation ·       Protect worker rights including collective bargaining, create jobs and raise wages ·       Get money out of politics

The government, dominated by elite economic interests, is going in the opposite direction from what the people want.  The American people’s agenda is our agenda. http://october2011.org/welcome

“Stop the Machine! Create a New World!

A Call to Action - October 6, 2011 and onward

“October 2011 is the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan and the beginning of the 2012 federal austerity budget. It is time to light the spark that sets off a true democratic, nonviolent transition to a world in which people are freed to create just and sustainable solutions.

“We call on people of conscience and courage—all who seek peace, economic justice, human rights and a healthy environment — to come together in Washington, D.C., beginning on October 6, 2011, in nonviolent resistance similar to the Arab Spring and the Midwest awakening.

“A concert, rally and protest will kick off a powerful and sustained nonviolent resistance to the corporate criminals that dominate our government.

“‘Stop the Machine! • Create a New World!’ is a clarion call for all who are deeply concerned with injustice, militarism and environmental destruction to join in ending concentrated corporate power and taking direct control of a real participatory democracy.

“We will encourage a culture of resistance—using music, art, theater and direct nonviolent action—to take control of our country and our lives. It is about courageously resisting and stopping the corporate state from destroying not only our inherent rights and freedoms, but also our children’s chance to live, to breathe clean air, to drink pure water, to grow edible natural food and live in peace.

“We are the ones who can create a new and just world. Our issues are connected. We are connected.” http://october2011.org/statement

A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition

www.answercoalition.org

info@internationalanswer.org

National Office in Washington DC: 202-265-1948

Boston: 857-334-5084 | New York City: 212-694-8720 | Chicago: 773-463-0311

San Francisco: 415-821-6545 | Los Angeles: 213-251-1025 | Albuquerque: 505-268-2488

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Articles also at Bringing Women a Global Voice: http://www.worldpulse.com/pulsewire Bennett's books available in New York State independent bookstores: Lift Bridge Bookshop: www.liftbridgebooks.com [Brockport, NY]; Sundance Books: http://www.sundancebooks.com/main.html [Geneseo, NY]; The Book Den, Ltd.: BookDenLtd@frontiernet.net [Danville, NY]; Talking Leaves Books-Elmwood: talking.leaves.elmwood@gmail.com [Buffalo, NY]; Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza: http://www.bhny.com/ [Albany, NY]; Mood Makers Books: www.moodmakersbooks.com [City of Rochester, NY]; Dog Ears Bookstore and Literary Arts Center: www.enlightenthedog.org/ [Buffalo, NY]; Burlingham Books – ‘Your Local Chapter’: http://burlinghambooks.com/ [Perry, NY 14530]; The Bookworm: http://www.eabookworm.com/ [East Aurora, NY]; LONGS’ Cards and Books: http://longscardsandbooks.com/ [Penn Yan, NY]
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